The Citizens Foundation USA

Mission:
The Mission of The Citizens Foundation, USA is to support the building of civil society in Pakistan by providing high quality, secular and scientific education for underprivileged children, through the programs of The Citizens Foundation.

Community Reviews

I have been to their fundraising and awareness events. My hats off to the passion of volunteers. I visited Pakistan and decided to visit TCF schools where I met teachers and students. All schools I visited are operating in beautiful purpose built buildings. I was surprised to see the confidence demonstrated by both students and teachers. All children come from very poor backgrounds. TCF is providing very high quality education to the underprivileged girls and boys. I was equally impressed by their gender equality in classrooms with 50% girls and 50% boys.

I visited their teachers training centers and was most impressed. I also visited the head office of TCF in Karachi and was amazed to see the quality of their management team. Now I understand why TCF is one of the best NGOs in the world in the education sector.

When was your last experience with this nonprofit?

I worked with The Citizens Foundation USA via Harvard for Pakistan (http://Harvard4Pakistan.org) and they were a phenomenal group! They are very transparent about where the money goes (in our case 100% to the Sonmiani primary schools project), and are clearly committed to making a solid impact and actually solving critical problems with the lack of access to education in Pakistan. A phenomenal group - I highly recommend them!

I became associated with TCF USA in 2007, after moving to the United States from Karachi. Throughout my association with this wonderful organization, I have admired it for its acute attention to financial transparency, fiercely passionate and no-frills governance, and an unwavering commitment to the cause of education for the underprivileged. One of the hardest things about being out of the country is hearing about the difficult, dark period Pakistan is going through, and feeling so helpless about it. TCF USA has always made me counter that feeling of helplessness, and instead feel empowered to really make a difference for Pakistan as a volunteer. The wonderful schools that it helps build counter the most pervasive and poisonous of all of Pakistan's problems--its educational system--and are a ray of light for all of Pakistan. Every year, TCF USA ropes in new volunteers and new donors from the Pakistani-American as well as local communities, and all these people put their absolute trust in it because this is an organization that is completely transparent, and that ensures that each and every penny its donors give, goes to the right place in a timely manner. Its tiny staff works day and night to serve its growing base of donors, providing information and updates, coordinating fundraising efforts, and constantly recruiting additions to a large and uncommonly dedicated batch of volunteers that any nonprofit would be proud to have. My family and I are all hugely proud to be a part of this organization, and will continue to do so always. Godspeed, TCF USA.

I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...

As a donor--always being kept abreast of the latest updates on what my donation went toward; and as a volunteer, having an extremely satisfying and rewarded experience. The funds I helped raise went toward building a new school in Pakistan in 2010, which is now operational.

If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...

I can't think of any changes; it's an exemplary organization.

Would you volunteer for this group again?

Definitely

For the time you spent, how much of an impact did you feel your work or activity had?

A lot

Did the organization use your time wisely?

Very Well

Would you recommend this group to a friend?

Definitely

Did your volunteer experience have an effect on you? (teaching you a new skill, or introducing new friends, etc.)

I got an opportunity to meet a large number of Pakistani Americans in the DC area, network with like-minded folks, and come up with better fundraising techniques targeting our community.